Despite the currently blank face of the Sun, it still has enough energy to surprise us with a solar flare, an event that is normally associated with the presence of a sun spot.

At 1408 on 26 April, Earth-orbiting satellites detected a surge of X-rays registering B3.8 on the Richter scale of solar flares, a relatively weak event, originating from a patch of the Sun where magnetic fields were not intense enough to form a visible sunspot. However, the magnetic fields still had sufficient energy and instability to cause a powerful solar tsunami spreading through the Sun’s atmosphere and out into space as a coronal mass ejection (CME).

The expanding CME could deliver a punch to the Earth’s magnetic field in the next couple of days, triggering bursts of auroral activity in the high latitudes.

Latest images from SOHO. The image on the left shows the blank face of the Sun and the image on the right shows the current state of the magnetic field in the solar photosphere, with black and white indicating opposite polarities. Image: SOHO/MDI.

The PlanetsFrom tiny Mercury to distant Neptune and Pluto, The Planets profiles each of the Solar System's members in depth, featuring the latest imagery from space missions. The tallest mountains, the deepest canyons, the strongest winds, raging atmospheric storms, terrain studded with craters and vast worlds of ice are just some of the sights you'll see on this 100-page tour of the planets. GET YOUR COPY

Hubble RebornHubble Reborn takes the reader on a journey through the Universe with spectacular full-colour pictures of galaxies, nebulae, planets and stars as seen through Hubble's eyes, along the way telling the dramatic story of the space telescope, including interviews with key scientists and astronauts. GET YOUR COPY

3D UniverseWitness the most awesome sights of the Universe as they were meant to be seen in this 100-page extravaganza of planets, galaxies and star-scapes, all in 3D! GET YOUR COPY